INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL JUST DISAPPEARS

Only a few weeks after the Quantum Storm E-Magazine [QSE] released an investigative news report over the possible rigging of awards for an international indie film festival [Rigged Indie Film Festivals & Awards Are Back In Houston dtd 1-4-2019], it seems the at the lone film festival in question, the U.S. Chinese International Independent Film Festival, has simply just disappeared from existence. Even the presented “committee” which overlooked this even has simply disappeared; with the exception of a few American and Chinese businesses who were wrestled up and asked to provide funding to help put it all together. Any online searches for the festivals websites have proven that the once active links were completely shut down and removed from existence; leaving many to speculate that the event was a sham all along.

This Indie awards festival was definitely not a scam, but it certainly also wasn’t a certified global event as it was advertised over the course of maybe two months. Several promotional ads and video commercials were prepared and posted on the Facebook pages owned by two people in Houston, Marcus Muhd and Nanae Volle; who alleged that the International Film Festival was a bonafide event with proper Chinese interest and a committee that was created to oversee the festival’s legitimacy. These ads were then copied or shared on Facebook media by various other sources who also claimed the event was legit; there is no evidence that funds were spent on any other advertising, except some poster boards, wooden awards, and large banners which were used at three locations in Houston. Even though some of the awards that were presented, only four in photographs, and those could have easily been manufactured by a local trophy store in Houston.

What comes in complete surprise was a gem studded tiara that was purchased solely for the "Best Actress" award and presented to none other than Nanae Volley for her two second scene and voice over part in a fan film trailer entitled, BLADE REMIX, which was directed by the secondary creator of the International event in Houston, Mr. Muhd. In the years that I have lived in the Houston area and have witnessed many Independent award platforms, I have never seen an actress receive a tiara for their efforts in a film, especially only performing in a film for a few seconds. Mrs. Valle seemed to love the attention of winning the award and the tiara as she was crowned the best actress in a Chinese International film that was actually just a short film, and a fan film at that. I also find it a bit humorous that no one can gain access to the fan film to see it in it's entirety and many of actors who took part in the fan film have stated that the fan film, which only consisted of an action sequence, was incomplete and lacked a full story to present to the judges. This has just been another element of various red flags that has arisen over the film festivals "alleged" judging of Independent films which claimed to have Chinese actors and culture presented within.

Whether or not this “International festival” was produced to serve the vanity of one or two people, with the likes of Valle strutting around the festival in awe of her award, is unclear. Even though there were some fantastic photos and web pages that were created which presented the look of a three to four day event, there has still been no evidence of the 200 Indie films were submitted for review, there was no list the Indie film titles with their actors, directors or their producers; nor was there a list of complete awards for all of the nominees and winners who submitted their films. Even worse is the fact that the QSE has learned that the winning film was not an International Indie film at all, but only a trailer for a fan film which could not possibly qualify for an International film by any means, as fan films cannot accept funds of any kind to help produce the film project, be submitted for International awards, or pay it’s actors as most international independent films require.

All of this speculation and lack of information has seemingly took its toll on a couple of people who planned the whole event out without any thought of the consequences that would arise after putting together an even under false pretenses. The local private businesses that were bought in as sponsors and investors were also misled in the attempt to help provide an honest Indie film festival to help bolster the local Chinese community who has not had proper representation in indie movie awards. The entire idea of a Chinese film festival might have started out like an honest venue to help bring more Chinese indie films and investors to the forefront of future productions, but instead either gave useless awards to those who didn’t properly earn the prestige or perhaps lined the pockets of a few people who were out to make a quick buck.

Only time will tell if a proper investigation by the local authorities and District Attorney begins to take place and if any serious crime had occurred during the International event that wasn't so International by the look of things. For now, the QSE can only speculate what actually transpired in Houston during the four to five days that an alleged International U.S./ Chinese Film Festival occurred with the proper representatives and committee’s required to hold such an event.